HELENA — The two newest members of Montana’s congressional delegation have announced which committees they’ll be serving on next year. U.S. Senator-elect Tim Sheehy and U.S. Representative-elect Troy Downing, both Republicans, will take their seats in Congress next month.
Congressional committees oversee federal agencies and consider legislation on specific subject areas.
Sheehy, a Navy veteran, will sit on two military-related committees: the Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversees the military and defense policy; and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, which monitors the Department of Veterans Affairs. He will also serve on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which deals with a wide range of topics – including ones like aviation and technology that connect to Sheehy’s business career.
“The opportunity to serve Montana in the United States Senate is a great honor,” Sheehy said in a statement. “These committee assignments will give me the opportunity to use my background as a Navy SEAL and businessman to put America's warfighters first, better serve our veterans, and deliver greater economic opportunity for hardworking Montanans. Let's get to work.”
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Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who Sheehy defeated this year to win the Senate seat, is the outgoing chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and he also served on the Commerce Committee.
Downing, elected to Montana’s eastern U.S. House seat, said in a statement that he’s been selected to the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees the banking industry – as well as insurance and securities, which Downing has been responsible for regulating in Montana in his role as state auditor.
Downing had previously told MTN he hoped he would be assigned to the Financial Services Committee because it related well to his work as auditor and in his business career. He said in a statement that he would be the first Montana representative on the committee in more than two decades.
“I am ready to hit the ground running as this talented group of lawmakers works to right-size financial regulation, grow community banking, and foster capital formation in the new Congress,” he said. “I will fight to provide regulatory clarity for digital assets—including cryptocurrencies—and continue my efforts to ensure the SEC remains focused on its statutory mandate. I thank the House Republican Steering Committee for entrusting me with this opportunity, and I look forward to working with Chairman-designate Hill to execute on the Committee’s agenda.”
Downing is replacing Rep. Matt Rosendale, who served on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and Natural Resources Committee.
Montana’s other U.S. senator, Republican Sen. Steve Daines, will remain on the Senate Finance Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Indian Affairs Committee in the next Congress. He will also take a seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in place of his current role on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.
Western district Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, has not officially announced his committee assignments yet – though he does sit on the steering committee that recommends those assignments for House Republicans. Zinke is currently serving on the House Appropriations Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee.
The 119th Congress is set to begin on January 3, 2025.
